Oklahoma City’s Aday Mara isn’t losing sleep over the “anti-Wembanyama” talk.
🏀🇪🇸 Aday Mara, para @mundodeportivo:
— Toni Canyameras (@Canyameridis71) July 13, 2026
“Veo vídeos de Pau Gasol, de Marc y de muchos pívots para intentar coger un poco de todos”
Sobre lo de que le ven como el anti Wembanyama:
“La gente puede hablar. Creo que será un proceso, me lo tomaré poco a poco y ya está” pic.twitter.com/c2y7suwgew
The Thunder rookie has already been tagged by some critics as the guy who might be asked to slow down San Antonio Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama, and he made it clear he’s not interested in the noise. Mara, who grew up in Spain before playing college basketball at Michigan, said he’s leaning on the big men who came before him as he tries to carve out his own path.
“I watch videos of Pau Gasol, Marc, and many other big men to try to pick up a bit from all of them,” Mara said.
"It's gonna be a huge challenge. ... I'm ready, yeah, I don't know how yet. But I will do it."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 24, 2026
Thunder rookie Aday Mara on being labeled as the "Wemby stopper" 😅
(via @SInow)pic.twitter.com/AkCDbjfrl3
That’s the kind of mindset Oklahoma City had in mind when it brought him in. With Isaiah Hartenstein re-signed to a three-year extension, the Thunder have two seven-footers in head coach Mark Daigneault’s lineup, and Mara is viewed as a major piece of the team’s future. After the defending champions’ season ended in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals against Wembanyama and the Spurs, adding a rim protector like Mara looked like an obvious move for the 2025 champs.
Still, Mara knows the label means nothing until he actually gets on the floor.
“People can talk,” Mara said. “I think it’ll be a process; I’ll take it step by step, and that’s it.”
He also made it clear he’s not backing away from the challenge, even if he’s still figuring out exactly how he’ll handle it.
“Obviously, Wemby is a great player,” said Mara. “It's gonna be a huge challenge.
But I'm looking forward [to] it. I mean, yeah.
I guess whatever the coach says. If I have to try to stop him, I will try… I'm ready, yeah.
I don't know how yet, but I will do it.”
Mara also praised the Thunder’s organization and said he’s confident in the work ahead as he settles into his rookie season. Oklahoma City will keep its summer league schedule rolling Tuesday against the Nuggets.
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Alex Caruso Just Dropped A Big Hint About OKCs Depth
The Thunders frontcourt picture has already shifted once this offseason, with Aday Mara arriving as the No. 12 pick in the 2026 NBA draft and Isaiah Hartenstein back in the fold after his free-agent return. Add in the retention of key veterans like Kenrich Williams, and Oklahoma City looks built to keep the same kind of lineup flexibility that has become a calling card of the roster.
Alex Caruso sees that depth as more than just a nice luxury. He pointed to the teams versatility across guards, wings and bigs, with a particular emphasis on how many options Oklahoma City now has at center, and he framed it as the kind of strength that can help a contender absorb change while still playing its style. After last seasons run ended in the Western Conference Finals, that balance of continuity and new pieces feels especially important heading into 2026-27. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama Just Made Chets Thunder Future Feel A Lot More Complicated
Victor Wembanyamas new max extension in San Antonio does more than lock up one of the leagues most singular talents. It also puts a sharper spotlight on Chet Holmgrens place in Oklahoma City, because the Thunder are already paying Holmgren like a franchise pillar and expecting him to grow into the kind of two-way force that can anchor a contender. The comparison is unavoidable now, especially with Holmgren still working through the rough edges of defending true centers.
For the Thunder, the issue is not just what Holmgren is today, but what he has to become to justify that level of investment alongside the rest of a rising roster. Oklahoma City has built its identity on flexibility, length and lineup versatility, yet Holmgrens struggles in certain matchups have already forced the team into some awkward defensive choices. If Wembanyama keeps separating himself while carrying a similar price tag, the long-term math around Holmgren could get a lot harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]